Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas
| runtime = 66 minutes | country = United States | language = English }} Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas is a 1999 direct-to-video animated Christmas anthology film produced by Walt Disney Video Premieres and won the Award for Best Animated Feature Film at the 5th Kecskemét Animation Film Festival in 1999. The video features Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Pluto, Pete, Goofy, Max, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Huey, Dewey, and Louie, Scrooge McDuck, Mortimer Mouse, Figaro the Kitten and Chip 'n' Dale with cameos by Owl, Clarabelle Cow, Horace Horsecollar, and a Beagle Boy. The film comprises three separate segments, with narration by Kelsey Grammer. A sequel, titled Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas, was released in 2004. Plot Donald Duck Stuck On Christmas (the toy boat) Inspired by Christmas Every Day by William Dean Howells. Huey, Dewey and Louie wake up one Christmas morning and open their presents, even though they are supposed to wait first for Daisy, Uncle Scrooge and Aunt Gertie to arrive. After the boys take their new sleds from their Uncle Donald (not reading the included gift card) they go sledding and have Christmas dinner in which Donald yells at them to learn their manners. While Donald, Daisy, Uncle Scrooge and Aunt Gertie sing carols, the boys play with their new toys. Later, it is time for the boys to go to bed and having enjoyed the day immensely, the boys then wishes for it to be Christmas every day. Their wish is granted and at first the three are joyful. After a few days, however, they begin to get tired of Christmas and soon realize that every day will be exactly the same as the day when they first made their wish. They then decide to change the course of action of the next day by playing tricks and pranks, including swapping the cooked turkey with a live one for the dinner table. The day turns out to be a bad Christmas for everyone, especially Donald. After this, the boys finally read the gift card that was given to them which they had previously disregarded. The card is from Donald and Daisy, it wishes them love and explains that Christmas is not just about presents, it is also about being with family. The boys instantly become guilty for their pranks and decide to make amends by making the next day the best Christmas ever. At the end of the next day, the boys finally realize the true meaning of Christmas and the time loop comes to an end, leading into the day after Christmas. A Very Goofy Christmas (the teddy) Goofy and Max are mailing out a letter to Santa Claus. However, as soon as they get home, Pete, the neighbor, tells Max that Santa does not exist, predicting how he can't fly around the world in one night. Things get worse when Goofy poses as Santa for some kids and Max finds out that he tricked him. Goofy is determined to prove to Max that Santa does exist and even stays up all Christmas Eve to keep an eye out for him. But after a long time, and after mistaking a Beagle Boy (who was robbing Pete's house) for Santa and falling off the roof, Goofy gives up hope of Santa coming. Now, Max does everything that Goofy did to make his father happy, including posing as Santa. In the end, the real Santa actually comes and gives Max the gift he had asked for earlier (as well as blowing some snow on Pete's house when the cunning neighbor tries to flatter the legendary figure). When Max asks if Santa forgot Goofy's present, Goofy answers that, every year, he asks for the same thing and, every year, he always gets it: Max's happiness. This segment of Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas chronologically precedes the cartoon series, Goof Troop. Max is voiced by Shaun Fleming of the indie rock bands Diane Coffee and Foxygen. Mickey and Minnie's Gift of the Magi (the toy sleigh) Based on the story The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry. Mickey wants to get Minnie a gold chain for her one heirloom, her watch, so he works at Crazy Pete's Tree Lot. Minnie wants to give Mickey something special for Christmas as well, so she works hard at her job in a department store to get a special bonus. When Mickey gives a short tree to a poor family who are unable to buy a Pete-10-Footer tree, his uptight and greedy boss Pete steals all of Mickey's money and dismisses him from the store. Then, Pete accidentally puts his still-lit cigar into his pocket with Mickey's money without noticing, which eventually sets himself and his trees on fire. Also, destroy his chance to sell his expensive 10-footers, as well. Meanwhile, Minnie's bonus from her stingy boss Mortimer Mouse proves to be nothing but a fruit cake. After playing music for a toy drive with the Firehouse Five, Mickey has the idea that he can trade his harmonica for the chain. The shop closes by the time he gets there and the owner rejects it, thinking it's not worth anything, but changes his mind after hearing its music. Back at Minnie's house, Mickey gives her the chain for her watch and Minnie gives him a case for his harmonica. Of course, the irony is that Minnie no longer has her watch—just as Mickey no longer has his harmonica—so the gifts are essentially useless. As in the classic Gift of the Magi upon which this adaptation—penned by O. Henry—is based, the thought behind each gift is what counts. The film concludes with a medley of various carols featuring the main characters from the three segments. Cast * Wayne Allwine as Mickey Mouse * Russi Taylor as Minnie Mouse, Huey, Dewey and Louie * Tony Anselmo as Donald Duck * Tress MacNeille as Daisy Duck (Stuck On Christmas), and singing voice in the finale Chip and Aunt Gertie * Diane Michelle as Daisy Duck (The Gift of the Magi) * Alan Young as Scrooge McDuck * Bill Farmer as Goofy and Pluto * Corey Burton as Dale * Shaun Fleming as Young Max * Jim Cummings as Pete, Santa, Police, Mailman, Fire Chief, Dad, onlooker, shop owner, and Santa Claus * Jeff Bennett as Dad Firefighter #2, Mortimer, Store Announcer, Man and Costumer * Gregg Berger as Mr Anderson, and Shopper * Kylie Dempsey as Kid #2, and Little Girl * Taylor Dempsey as Little Jimmy, and Kid #1 * Andrew McDonaugh as Boy * Pat Musick as Distressed Woman, Angry Woman, Eccentric Lady, Shopper and Mrs Anderson * Frank Welker as Loch Ness Monster (Good), Turkey and Figaro * Mae Whitman as Girl * April Winchell as Mom, Old Woman, Firewoman and Firefighter #1 * Kelsey Grammer as the Narrator * Tommy Morgan provides Mickey's harmonica solos Home media The film was originally released on VHS and DVD on November 9, 1999. It was later re-released on VHS and on DVD (as part of the Walt Disney Gold Classic Collection) on November 7, 2000. The film was released in a 2-Movie Collection Blu-ray and DVD with Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas on November 4, 2014. References External links * * Category:1999 films Category:1999 animated films Category:1999 direct-to-video films Category:1990s American animated films Category:Adaptations of works by O. Henry Category:American films Category:American anthology films Category:American children's animated comedy films Category:American Christmas films Category:Animated comedy films Category:Christmas comedy films Category:DisneyToon Studios animated films Category:Disney direct-to-video animated films Category:Donald Duck films Category:Films based on short fiction Category:Films directed by Bradley Raymond Category:Films featuring anthropomorphic characters Category:Goofy (Disney) films Category:Mickey Mouse films Category:Santa Claus in film Category:Time loop films Category:Animated Christmas films Category:1990s Christmas films Category:Disney Television Animation films